The SA Bureau of Standards (SABS) has been strongly criticised by business, which says the entity is losing the country at least R4 billion a year in exports in the manufacturing and engineering sectors alone.

This comes after years of businesses complaining about a lack of testing by the SABS, resulting in manufacturers losing contracts because they are unable to obtain the SABS mark timeously, or they have been unable to renew 2 600 permits to use the mark.

Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies is assessing representations from the SABS board on why he should not go ahead with his intention to put the entity under administration for not performing to its mandate. The SABS falls under Davies’ department.

Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa economist Marique Kruger said the lack of testing and certification by the SABS within the required time frames was a concern, as certification was often needed for products to be sold locally and internationally.

Kruger said trade deals being delayed or cancelled due to a lack of testing hit smaller businesses the hardest and caused a loss of billions in exports a year in the manufacturing and engineering sectors.

“The impact on the domestic production value chain is also huge,” she said.

Director at GAP Holdings, Theuns van Aardt, said manufacturers in the solar water heating industry were “tearing their hair out” because they “cannot get a system approved by the SABS”.

He said the piping, pump and valve industries were similarly affected, and were “being put at massive risk”.

Business development manager Carolien van der Horst of the SA Capital Equipment Export Council said the SABS was also failing to audit the local content of products supplied in government contracts as stipulated in government’s Industrial Policy Action Plan.

Van der Horst said this resulted in companies possibly supplying imported products when servicing tenders from state entities. However, she said it seemed that no one wanted to pay for the SABS to conduct these audits.

SABS CEO Boni Mehlomakulu hit back at industry and the department of trade and industry this week, saying she was fulfilling her mandate according to policy that was implemented in 2005.

She said the issues affecting industry were inherent in the policy, which emerged from the 2004 National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) report, titled Modernising the South African Technical Infrastructure.

Informed by a department of trade and industry position paper in part authored by Lionel October, who was then the department’s deputy director-general, Nedlac agreed that the SABS should split into a commercial testing and certification entity, and its statutory standards setting body should be funded by government.

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​Droogfontein Solar Power put their support behind the Solar Water Heating Enterprise Development (SWHED) programme in Kimberley in 2016 and continues to fund this programme that is providing skills, jobs and creating local enterprises.

Droogfontein Solar Power put their support behind the Solar Water Heating Enterprise Development (SWHED) programme in Kimberley in 2016 and continues to fund this programme that is providing skills, jobs and creating local enterprises. Photo: Supplied

Droogfontein Solar Power continues to fund its programme that is providing jobs and creating local enter­prises.

In 2016, Droogfontein put its support behind the Solar Water Heating Enterprise Development (SWHED) programme in Kimberley, and is still doing so.

“This project is changing lives, with a number of young people having already found either permanent employment or enrolled into full-time further studies after completing the initial SWH training,” said Hlengiwe Radebe, economic development director of Droogfontein.

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Row upon row of tilted boxlike containers holding black glass tubes top apartment complexes all over China. These solar water heaters can provide cheap, emissions-free hot water for cooking and bathing to China's rapidly growing urban population.

But for something that seems like an obvious solution to curbing emissions, solar heaters haven't caught on at similar scales around the world. And it's especially puzzling why solar thermal energy is the system of choice for consumers in a country that's the world's leading producer of photovoltaic panels.

The answers are a bit murky, weaving together global market forces, local regulations and an enigmatic inventor.


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On Tuesday 28 May, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) will take City Power to court over Johannesburg municipal electricity utility's refusal to disclose information on the basis of which a R800-million tender for supply and installation of low pressure solar water geysers was awarded in May 2012. The matter will be heard at South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg. The union has also lodged an application with the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Division (JMPD) for NUMSA shopstewards from all solar geyser manufacturing plants to picket outside the court on that day.

Why are we going to court?

Exactly a year ago, NUMSA wrote to City Power with a request for information that explains the criteria used to adjudicate the utility's tender for supply and installation of low pressure solar water geysers (BID 1883GS). On 21 May 2012, our General Secretary Irvin Jim wrote to City Power's Tender Advice Centre requesting a meeting where the electricity company could explain the decision that it had reached on awarding the tender.

Without exaggeration, we can openly say that in the 12-months since we wrote to City Power we have been met with skilful "duck and diving" and perfected delaying tactics. City Power even went to the extent of giving us a "dummy" of blank forms and documents, hoping that NUMSA would eventually abandon its demand for explanation of the Adjudication Committee's decision.

Hereunder is a chronology of our attempts to secure a meeting with City Power and an explanation on the decision of the Tender Committee:

21 May 2012: NUMSA General Secretary writes to City Power requesting a meeting with the municipal-owned electricity enterprise

23 May 2012: City Power writes back to NUMSA acknowledging the union's letter, with a promise to furnish the union with feedback soon

14 Aug 2012: After receiving no response, NUMSA writes another letter to City Power

13 Sept 2012: Lawyers instructed by NUMSA write to City Power requesting the information

19 Sept 2012: NUMSA lawyers write again to City Power after the company failed to acknowledge the lawyers' letter

Sept 2012: City Power writes back to NUMSA lawyers advising them that investigation relating to the bid was finalised and that the report will be tabled in the Adjudication Committee meeting of 15 October. In the same letter, City Power indicated availability to meet NUMSA and its lawyers "on any date after the 15th of October 2012"

15 Nov 2012: After postponement of numerous meetings and after obtaining City Power forms for a Request for Access to Record of Public Body, NUMSA filed an application with the company using Section 18(1) of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (Act. No.2 of 2000)

03 Dec 2012: City Power asked our lawyers to come and pick up the documents we have been requesting. When our lawyers picked up the documents they found out that they were blank

04 Dec 2012: Our lawyers wrote to City Power insisting that NUMSA requires the documents

08 Jan 2013: NUMSA lawyers wrote to City Power indicating the intention of the union to approach the High Court.

After so much unabashed stonewalling, the union had no option but to approach the High Court. Workers and the oppressed people of South Africa fought hard against the secretive and unresponsive culture of public and private bodies under apartheid. The right of access to information in section 32(1) (h) of the Constitution is a direct result our struggles. NUMSA will not sit idly while our rights are being trampled by corporatised public utilities such City Power. As a union, we will not fold our arms when municipal entities refuse to act in a transparent manner. City Power, if it is a genuinely publicly-owned entity should be in the forefront of promoting transparency and the right of access to information. The electricity utility should have nothing to hide from the public who supposedly owns City Power and who the company is meant to serve.

What is the significance of the matter?

In addition to our principled defence of our constitutional right of access to information, NUMSA is taking up the case for two other reasons. Firstly, NUMSA is the union that organises workers in plants that manufacture solar water heaters. Secondly, the union has been involved since the beginning of 2012 in efforts to have solar water heaters designated under the revised Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA) regulations.

The inclusion of solar geyser components in the January 2013 Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) list of designated products is a direct result of our efforts. What this means is that solar water heaters that are put on rooftops using the public purse must be manufactured locally and that the components that go into the solar heating systems must be "Proudly South African".

It is our suspicion that the swiftness with which the request for tenders was issued by City Power and the tender awarded was a calculated way to circumvent the local content requirements that were being negotiated. Since President Jacob Zuma launched the programme for public sector installation of 1-million solar water heaters by 2014, NUMSA has been critical of large scale importation of geysers used in the rollout. Our request for an explanation of the basis on which City Power awarded the tender is to precisely look at how much weighting in the whole process was given to local manufacturing. Government together with labour and business are signatories to the October 2011 Local Procurement Accord. City Power as a local state entity is bound by the accord.

Conclusion:

NUMSA will leave no stone unturned in its efforts to obtain the information that it requires. While casting no aspersion at this stage, we are fully aware of reported shenanigans around City Power tenders including the R1.25 billion smart meter contract to the Vivian Reddy's Edison Power Group that is currently being investigated by the Public Protector.

Our effort for now is to get the information on whose basis BID 1883GS for solar water heaters was awarded. Our interest is to ensure that the bulk of goods and services that are used in the government infrastructure programme are procured and manufactured locally. For this we are prepared to go to the highest court in the land. For this, we will mobilise our members to act in defence of their interests.

On the City Power case we are talking and asking for support from our sister union that organises workers at the electricity utility, the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU). We are positive that together we will break the hold of those who believe that decisions that affect communities can be made in smoke-filled rooms with no accountability to those that they are meant to serve.

Statement issued by Castro Ngobese, NUMSA national spokesperson, May 19 2013


Source......

Supply of solar water heaters far outweighs current demand. Since the inception of the Eskom solar water heater rebate programme in 2008, there has been a phenomenal growth in supply of solar water heaters (SWHs) to the market.

Between 2006 and 2010, the number of SWH suppliers in the industry increased from 45 to 700. There are currently approximately 300 active suppliers within the industry. However, a recent study conducted by Frost & Sullivan indicates that the uptake of the product by consumers has not yet been as successful as expected.

A competitive environment and high operating costs have seen suppliers struggling in the market. During 2012 the Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa (Sessa) witnessed a 40% circulation rate in the industry. This means that if 100 companies existed in the industry at the beginning of 2012, 40 of them would have left the industry by the end of the year. However, these 40 companies would have been replaced by other companies who wanted to invest in the industry, due to it being perceived as a booming industry.

“Many solar water heater suppliers agree that the Eskom rebate programme has created awareness about the SWH system and its benefits,” says Frost & Sullivan energy and power research analyst, Muneera Salie. “However, the demand for the product has not grown at the same rate as the amount of supply within the industry. Something needs to be done to stimulate the demand side of the market in order for substantial market growth to occur.”
  
In 2012, the SWH market generated a revenue of approximately R810 million. There are still many teething problems that persist and a 5% growth is expected during 2013. There has also been an increasing interest in the use of heat pumps. The demand for heat pumps and SWHs are currently more or less balanced. However, it is expected that the demand for heat pumps is going to grow at a faster rate than that of SWHs, thereby slowing demand for SWHs further.
 
“Industry participants are still positive about the market’s future growth,” Salie says. “Increased growth rates are expected as a result of greater focus being placed on the green building codes, as well as the government’s drive to allocate qualifying municipalities with low pressure SWHs. The involvement of the insurance industry will also have a positive impact on the market, but this is only expected to take off in the medium to long term. Approximately 300,000 burst geysers are replaced each year. Encouraging the insurance industry to allow burst geysers to be replaced by SWHs will drive the demand for the system,” she says.

Overall, initial growth is expected to be slow, but it is anticipated to increase over the forecast period (2012 – 2017). Total installations until the 13 January 2013, including Department of Energy funded projects, reached 314,703. To achieve a target of 1,000,000 SWH installations by March 2015, approximately 25,000 installations per month will be required between January 2013 and March 2015.

For the consumer, the cost of purchasing and installing a SWH system is still relatively high. The average cost of a high pressure SWH unit is about R16,000 and installation costs range anywhere between R2,000 and R6,000. In general, consumers are more concerned about the cost of electricity and expected increases, than the demand on the grid, and saving energy to decrease their electricity bills.
 
“The key challenge is to deal with pertinent market restraints which include consumer confusion regarding the product and its correct usage, installation problems, and the price of the rebate,” Salie says. “Once these challenges have been overcome, the focus should be on driving the demand side of the market in order to stimulate substantial growth.”

Source......

This magnesium mine near the town of Hotazel gave rise to a 600 house village.  With the demand for iron from China the mine has experienced a revival and is investing in its staff accommodation. The 217 housing units developed by the mine house between 1-2 people each.

BHP Billiton wanted to reduce its impact on the national grid by offsetting the electricity required to heat water on its housing units.  The reduction helps it to maintain electricity supply from Eskom destined for its mining operations.



Selected Energy installed 217 Solahart 181Kf solar water heaters. The installation results in a total demand reduction of more than 300kVA, a total collector surface of 403m² and 37758L of hot water storage at 55°C.

To download the case study click here.

The 88 room Hatfield Manor Hotel has been revamped and renovated to become one of the premier destinations for diplomats and business travellers to the Pretoria area.  The Boulevard Group who owns the hotel, also used the opportunity to reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint. In addition the Boulevard Group is rebranding the Manor and making it part of the Protea Hotel Group.

The Boulevard Group commissioned commercial solar thermal specialist Selected Energy to design an energy efficient system that would deliver 150 liters of water at 55˚C to each room. “Hotels are subject to high hot water demand during peak hours. It was thus imperative for us that we supplied a sufficient volume to our guests whilst still being cost effective and environmentally sensitive,” says Victoria Mclachlan, General Manager of the Protea Hotel Manor.

To make optimal use of the TheProteaHotel Manor’s  existing infrastructure and keep the project costs low the Selected Energy team split the project into two mini projects. The first step was to connect those rooms accessible via service shafts to 21 Solahart KF 302 thermosiphon solar water heaters. Each of the Solahart units installed can deliver 300 litres of hot water. The Selected Energy team disconnected and removed the energy inefficient electric geysers that previously serviced these rooms. In doing so the team reduced the hot water demand by 50% and energy consumption by an estimated 80% per year.

The second part of the project was to prefeed the existing central boiler system that services those rooms not accessible via service shafts. Four Solahart KF302 solar water heaters are able to heat more than double the amount of hot water that the boiler can produce. This not only increases the heating capability but also adds almost 1200 litres of additional storage capacity.

 The third project , still to be completed, will take solar energy from a collector bank and circulate it through an exchange system into 100literes of storage per room.

Commercial manager Chris Elliot stated that, an innovative approach to hot water supply starts with understanding the customer’s requirement and using the available energy resources at your disposal to gain the maximum savings and environmental benefits.

The hot water solution, in addition to the LED lighting, Bokashi organic waste management system and fair trade coffee, makes the Protea HotelManor one of the most environmentally friendly oriented hotels in Tshwane.    

Vacation club is a collection of 148 self-catering units on the Sun City resort site operated by RCI.  The units sleep 4-6 people. Two units share a wall and are distributed as 74 stand alone semi-detached buildings.

The age of the Vacation Club meant that the electric water geysers in the units were starting to fail.  The major concern, apart from the replacement cost was the water damage to the units as well as the lost revenue as a result of the unavailability of the unit.

In addition the energy consumed by 148 x 4kW elements had a significant energy cost implication as well as a placing a constraint on the available power supply.  Selected Energy designed a simple solution that is a perfect replica of the standard domestic retrofit solution.  Each electric geyser was disconnected and replaced with a roof mounted solar water heater.

The net result is that the Vacation Club can make use of the abundant solar radiation and heat 44 000 litres of water to 55 °C. In addition in the event a tank bursts the water would not ruin the unit but instead run harmlessly down the gutter.  Selected Energy chose Solahart products and opted for the 302J system.  To meet aesthetic demands each tank was also clad in Colorbond® that matches the colour of the building.

The solution is at the time of writing too new for there to be meaningful proof of savings. However the estimates are that energy savings over the course of a year will be in the high hundreds of megawatt hours. 

To download the case study click here.

Kloben, a leading manufacturer of solar thermal vacuum collectors and high performance thermal systems based in Verona, Italy  is looking for a suitable partner in SA, a structured installation company, with which to establish a long lasting collaboration.
 http://kloben.it/product_categories
For an introduction/more info contact us.

Heliotech is seeking new joint venture partner in South Africa for production of annual capacity of 10MW.
Download info here (Pdf)......